Board Construction
 

The construction of snowboards is nearly identical to skis; all of the same materials are used. The real differences in these boards are in the shapes and flex patterns.

• Core:  The core of a snowboard is usually wood or foam. The difference between the two is that wood cores are firmer and more responsive and foam cores are more flexible and vibrate less.

• Base: The base is part of the board that touches the snow. It is usually polyethylene or composite, and either extruded or sintered. Extruded bases are less expensive and easier to repair, while sintered bases are faster and hold wax better.

• Edge:  The edges are almost always metal to allow the boarder to easily cut into snow and ice.

• Laminate:  This is the fiberglass layers that sandwich in the core on top and bottom for stiffness and strength